Vacuum gear-shifting device.



R. F. LANDIS.

. VACUUM GEAR SHJFTING DEVICE.

APPLlCATlON mw MN. 2. 1912.

1,251,246. Patented 25,1917.

ME m N Q m Qi 0 k v 1 I m RAYMOND F. LANDIS, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

VACUClM GEAB-SHIFTING DEVICE.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, RAYMOND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, and useful Improvements in Vacuum Gear- Shifting Devices, of which the=following is v a specification.

ated means, and in disarrangement would frequently the charge,

This invention relates to improvements in 'vacuum'g ear shifting devices and it is intended more particularly for use in Shifting the gears on a motor-driven vehicle.-

The shifting of such gearshas been accomplished heretofore by means of manually operated apparatus, or by electrically actuall cases the number of movable parts has occur.

In my present device I effect the shiftin of the gears by means of a vacuum, create by the action of the engine when drawing and the number of movable parts is reduced to the minimum, and includes only the gear actually shifted and the member immediately in connection with it.

The invention consists in forming a series of vacuum cylinders in the-cover portion of the transmission gear case, and providing a piston havlng a rod adapted for engagement with the gear to be shifted, and backed by a spring or other means for accomplishing the return movement to neutral position, each piston being operable independently, by means of a suitable valve in the vacuum tube between the cylinder and the motor fuel intake.

The invention is more fully described in the following specification and clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in

which I have shown a fragmentary;crosssectional view of a transmission gear case and its approximate position with relation to the fuel supply of the motor of which it art.

The numeral 1 designates the motor cylinder casing; 2 the crank. case; 3 the fly-v wheel case; 4 the clutch case; 5 the trans-- mission gear 'caseand 6 the fuel supply or intake for the motor cylinders. The-parts thus described are of the usual and ordinary structure.

Tothe top, and preferably in the cover of the gear case 5,-1 forma series of vacuum cylinders 7 and in each'of these cylinders I place a movable piston 8,.carried on one end of a rod -9, the opposite end being pro- Specification of Letters Patent.

F. LANDIS,

have invented certain new in the train with whic been such. that wear or Patented Dec.25,191'7.

Application and January 2, 1917. Serial No. 140,057.

vided in like manner with a piston movable in a cylinder the duplicate of the cylinder 7 and-1n horizontal alinement therewith.

' This piston .rod 9 is provided with a'fork 10 near each extremity and each of these forks is'normally in engagement with a movable gear wheel 11 on the main drive shaft 15; each of the pistons 8 is backed by a spring 11 located in thecylinder, so that the two opposed springs, located in opposite cylinders, will tend to normally keep the ears with which the forks 10 are engaged, in neutral position with relation to the other gears. The numerals 12 and 13 indicate the positions, approximately of the other gears the shifting gears may be made to mesh. i The numeral 17 designates a vacuum tube or air line, one end of which is in communication with the fuel intake on the motor,

and the other end of which is in manifold rate vacuum regulator 18, shown in the form of a simple valve, and which may be operated in any suitable and convenient manner, as by switch, push button or other device, and each of which will control the vacuum in the cylinder to which the respective branch tube is in communication.

I When the parts are in the position shown in the drawing, the movable gear ll'is in neutral position, and is not in mesh with either the gears 12 or 13. Assuming now that it is desirable to throw this gear 11 into mesh with the gear 12, the button or switch controlling the valve 18 is operated, causing the valve to assume the position shown at 18*, that is, closing the exhaust and establishing communication through the tube 17 from the motor 1 to the cylinder]? the action of the motor in drawingits charge will create a vacuum in the cylinder 7 whose line of communication through the tube 17 is open, and this action will move the piston 8 -tqgether with the rod 9 and fork 10, so

ated in theopposite direction, placing it in the position shown, and the spring 14, which was compressed when the vacuum was created in the cylinder 7, will return the gear 11 .to neutral position.

When it is desired to throw the gear 11 into mesh with the gear 13, the valve 18 in the branch communicating with the cylinder directly opposite the cylinder 7 is operated, and the action therein is the same as that just described, except that the pistons, the rod and the gear 11 will move in the opposite direction. The cylinders 7 are made sufliciently long to permit this movement of the piston in both directions.

It is evident therefore, that with this simple means and with a minimum of movable parts, I may accomplish the easy and almost noiseless shifting of any of the movable gears in the transmission.

It is also evident that the device may be conveniently attached to any transmission gear operated by a motor in which a suction is created.

What I claim is:

1. In a gear shifting device the combination of a cylinder, a spring backed piston therein, means carried by the piston for shifting one of a set of gears and means for creating a vacuum in said cylinder whereby the piston is moved against the tension of the spring. v

2. The combination of a motor provided with a suction fuel intake, a cylinder provided with a spring backed piston, means carried by the piston for engaging a movable gear, a movable gear in engagement with said means, and means for creating a vacuum in said cylinder by the action of the motor when drawing a charge.

3. The combination in. a device of the character described, of a motor provided with a suction fuel intake, a transmission gear, a cylinder,a spring backed piston in said cylinder, a piston rod having. an integral fork adapted for engagement with one of the movable members of the gear, a communication between the cylinder and the fuel intake whereby the action of the motor in drawing its charge will create a vacuum in the cylinder,- and means in the communication for controlling the vacuum in the cylinder.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

- RAYMOND F. LANDIS. 

